Indian Foreign Affairs Journal
Published in Association with Association of Indian Diplomats
Current Volume: 21 (2026 )
ISSN: 0973-3248
e-ISSN: 2229-5372
Periodicity: Quarterly
Month(s) of Publication: March, June, September & December
Subject: Political Science & International Affairs
DOI: 10.32381/IFAJ
The Geo-political, Geo-economic and Geo-strategic Importance of the Indian Ocean Region: Opportunities and Challenges for India
By : Achal Kumar Malhotra
Page No: 1-23
Abstract
The Indian Ocean is the third largest Ocean in the world, covering one-fifth of the world’s ocean water, with the Pacific and the Atlantic as the other two. However, it is not the size or the span which determine its geo-political, geo-economic, and geo-strategic importance. This essay discusses the broad features of the Ocean: the factors which make it strategically and economically important; its vulnerabilities from the point of view of regional security with global impact; competition among global players for larger footprints; and finally, the platforms of regional/global cooperation for ensuring maritime security and sustainable exploitation of the vast resources of the Indian Ocean for contemporary and future needs. The narration also revolves around India’s perspective.
Author
Achal Malhotra is a former Diplomat, author and commentator on Indian foreign policy and International Relations.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/IFAJ.2026.21.1.1